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ProGold proline Xtreme for me. You have to be careful as with every other lube to not overdo it but it lasts for probably 3 or 4 rides in winter before needing to be reapplied. Saying that, you do need to give the chain a preventative lube if you've been riding in absolute gloop and plan on driving with the bike on a rack on salty roads. Good clean every week or two then reapply during winter.
I putoline my chains then (don't judge me...) top up every other ride with chainsaw oil! Given that I wipe down and re-lube fairly frequently it works for me.
THIS "I’ve used Juice Lubes Viking for several years now, and am pleased with the results, It goes on easy, offer better protection the more you use it, and lasts well enough for me."
Juice Lube Viking juice, is great stuff, I used to use purple extreme, but it was getting hard to find, so tried Viking, good as if not slightly better IMO.
This. Mostly because I am a child and the box makes me giggle
Earlier this year I bought a tin of Putoline and a little deep fat fryer... only used it a few times before going back to Squirt.
If anyone is Putoline curious, they can have my set-up for £30. Would need collecting from Marple though.
I didn't find Purple Extreme to be all that great in wet wintery rides. Summer it's OK.
Anyone tried the Absolute Black graphene lube?
I tend to go as long as possible on squirt and once the weather manks out properly then swap to Fenwicks Professional - the grey one with the cowpat aroma.
Putoline
In terms of performance and durability (and probably chain life) I do believe Putoline is best, but I never knew when it would finally wear off which meant finishing more than one ride with a dry squeaky chain. I guess if I bothered tracking mileages better this wouldn't have been an issue.
Fenwicks Professional – the grey one with the cowpat aroma.
Fenwick's seemed almost as good as Putoline and was easier to 'top up' so I never had a chain go dry mid-ride.
Viking Juice
I recently washed all the Fenwick's out of my chain and switched to Juice Lubes, idea being that I wanted something lighter for winter CX and mud so I could rinse off and re-apply every ride. After 3 applications on the stand I went out for an hours ride, but the drivetrain felt like death! Turns out the Fenwicks had been masking the fact that the chain was worn well beyond 1%, and washing it all out and replacing with a thinner lube just exposed this.
So, back to thicker lubes for me! Putoline for now and I'll just run chain through a rag soaked in Vkkkng Juice after any wet ride.
im quite happy with Finish Line ceramic wax lube, or a squirt of Finish Line ceramic wet if its particularly grim. i dont like to leave my bike unwashed after a wet ride, so chain gets wiped and treated with a bit of MO94, then lube reapplied next time i use it... if its dry the finish line lasts a handful of rides unwashed.. but never have any full gunk issues - perhaps im too fairweather!?
Been using Wolftooth WT-1 for last few months and so far it's good but not spectacular. Good enough to recommend as it seems to be goldilocks, not too thick, not too thin, no gunk build up. Seems to last a few rides when it's wet and damp and muddy but when the weather is fine, this lube lasts for a couple of weeeks worth of riding up here in Aberdeenshire. In fact when i first applied it, my drivetrain went super smooth, gear changes were noticeably quicker, quieter and smoother both up and down the gears. XT Drivetrain still is supersmooth. Started using it on an existing chain and the chain stretch has not stretched any further to my surprise - still below 0.5. It's expensive but seems to be doing it's job and saving my chain. Used to use Pedros chain lube - not their synthetic tho - and it's lighter oil, good but needing re-applying every 2nd or third ride. Wolftooth i can go a week or two of riding before re-applying - no cleaning of chain or faffing about. Shake bottle to agitate ball bearing in small bottle, apply - wipe off excess and with it comes dirt, muc etc pushed out of chain to easily wipe that off too but no dreaded black gunk. Almost self cleaning the drivetrain. I'm a convert but wish it was cheaper. Pays your money... Is it cheaper than replacing chains more regularly by using more expensive lube? No idea yet but at almost £20 a smallish bottle - it lasts, protects and reduces chain faff. Where, how and how often we all ride affects the tenacity of any chosen lube. I'll buy again.
Plutoline all year round for the commuter, fit and forget.
It didn’t however last on the gravel bikes, so it was never tried on the mtb. Currently trying Smoove, will see how it goes. Squirt is the summer choice. If it’s no good there’s normally finish line green kicking about in the cellar…..
Geoff Apps chainchoobz
https://crosscountrycycle.wordpress.com/2014/09/16/gloop-guarding/
could be the way forward
or
a rubber band
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/belt-drive-i-t-may-be-time-to-admit-defeat
If rust is the problem then stainless might be the answer
https://www.connexchain.com/en/10-speed-chains.html
What is chain lube?
Or get one of these
I've been trying out Revolube.. can't comment on longevity / wear just yet but the drivetrain was definitely significantly cleaner and quieter at the end of Sunday's sandy / gritty ride than my mate's with 'normal' lube. Will be interesting to see how it gets on over the winter...
Anything. And just keep on top of maintenance.
I try to give the MTB and gravel bike a wipe down and re-lube after every ride, and the commuter gets the same treatment once a week.
Puto for winter, candle wax for summer... Recently tried Revolube on the E bike - mainly dry weather use, it saw off my YBN gold chain though. 400 miles & stretched too far to use, noisey in low gears. The silver YBN chain is still going strong at 750 miles, using the Puto/candle wax seasonal combo. Yes it has stretched, but works fine on the worn cassette & steel chainwheel.
I've been trying out Revolube since July 2020. It lasts several rides in the dry, and in the wet winter it only needs to be reapplied every 2 or 3 rides.
No single product is going to be perfect, but I like that I've not had to degrease a drivetrain or gouge any black oily gunge out of the jockey wheels, etc, for over a year.
It's now on all 5 of my bikes (1 road, 1 cx, 2 mtb, 1 hybrid)
Note: You have to make sure it's applied at over 16 degrees C, which isn't always practical or ideal for those who can't do it indoors during winter.
FinishLine Dry, use it year round and it's fine. Apply 1 layer, let it dry, apply a 2nd, let it dry, light wipe over and sorted. Top up occasionally.
I accept I don't do huge days out off road in the rain (few here do I suspect) but I do commute year round (well, I did pre-Covid) which is hard on drive chain.
I've been using rock n roll extreme year round for many years, it's very quick to apply after a clean and lasts long enough (ie a whole day ride in disgusting rainy filth). It's very thin so there's quite a bit of fling off as you rotate the chain.
Recently been trying the wolftooth stuff on my commuter, and as a lubricant it's really good. It's a noticeable quietening of the drive train. Seems fairly long lasting as well. Soon to try it on the fun bikes as I've run out of RnR so I'll soon see how it lasts in the filth. As a drip on application it's slower to apply than sloshing on a load of RnR, but it holds to the chain better. It's quite pricey though, so I'm hoping the small quantity used negates the extra cost!
Squirt works fine for me all year round, but definitely not on my smart trainer as it just gets too hot and turns to black melted gunk.
Purple Extreme
Rock n Roll Extreme. Those who use know.